I, Robot

Sorry for the slow updates as of late. The team at JHYPE had been in great demand outside the internet world for a change (i.e. working hard to pay off our christmas indulgences). We will eventually return to normality with more wacky and wonderful Japan.

To make up for it, may I present you the wonderful robots at last year’s IREX (International Robot EXhibition) at Tokyo Big Sight. Here are a few photos from the event. Enjoy!

I pity the fool who wants to play Ping Pong with me

TOPIO, a ping pong playing robot by TOSY (Vietnam), aching for a worthy opponent. Looks like he’ll hurt you bad if you ever succeeded in scoring a point against him.

Welcome your new swashbuckling robot overlords, puny humans!

Yaskawa Electric Corporation displayed a variety of Motoman industrial robots able to perform tasks ranging from menial factory work to synchronized swordplay.  Hang on a second, the last time any robot was taught self defense or martial arts, we have the Terminator, T1000 and the extinction of human life as we know it. Do these people ever learn?

I have no hands, but I do have a smiley face

Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru) exhibited their AV-T3 autonomous cargo transport robot.  It looks pretty happy for someone who has a permanent tray as a bum, a yellow wheel to move about and no arms to speak of.

The beer goggles! They aren't working!

An Actroid was on hand at Kokoro’s booth to demonstrate new camera-based face mimicking technology. Judging from “her” looks, “she” must have been modelled after one of her middle aged male creators during one boozy evening in one of the Karaoke clubs in Odaiba. I am sure she will be mimicking a lot of gurning and crying faces from the passerbys that she terrorised throughout the exhibition.

No! I will not eat those Broccoli muffins!

T1000 Prototype

I Can Has Circuitburger?

Japan (and the rest of the world), you have done it again. More pictures and coverage from Pink Tentacle.